With the decision to sell the layout I wanted to have a final running session. I had devised an operating schedule for the layout two years ago, but have only ever run that program from beginning to end a handful of times due to loco availability or time constraints.
My brother joined me for a final hurrah and we spent a good few hours running the timetable with all of the consists and sidings, with uncoupling clearance markers and siding limits as they had been designed for. It was a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours, particularly because the layout is in the most detailed stage that it's ever going to be whilst in my ownership. I can emphasise enough how nice it was to run one's railway as it had been designed.
There's a lesson here for all who follow - it took me four years to get to this point. That's not four years before a train could run, we've been doing that for a while, but four years before it was complete to a level where you could say it was "finished" and could be fully operated. While there were a lot of interruptions in that time, the conclusion here is that what I had built is not compatible with a lifestyle of full-time employment and the demands of young children. But, I've learned from it and there are lessons I'll take away to the next layout that will hopefully make that build a bit quicker. A smaller layout is the first step, but more on that in due course.
Here was the program, which the photos follow chronologically.
1. Local goods arrives, shunts. Waits for local passenger.
2. U set arrives from Bell (local passenger). Departs.
3. Local goods follows U set back to Lithgow via Bell.
4. Mid-morning pass arrives (MUB set with electric loco)
5. Pay bus arrives from Mount Tomah mine to cross passenger. Pay bus departs for Bell.
6. Light electric loco arrives from Lithgow to collect coal wagons from Mount Wilson coal loader.
7. Empty coal wagons arrive for Mount Wilson coal loader.
